Key Of Destiny
by greengirlguy
Summary: A broken soul ends his existence only to end up in another world entirely, in the care of those who need him, and the key player to the fate of three races.
1. Chapter 1

Summery: a broken soul ends his existence only to end up in another world entirely, in the care of those who need him, and the key player to the fate of three races.

Rated: M, just in case.

Disclaimer: neither Harry Potter nor Earth Final conflict is mine, and are the sole property of their creators.

Authors Note: this first chapter will be repeated for a few other stories as I experiment with various scenarios and crossovers in the next few fics I write.

Key to Destiny

Chapter 1: Sentence.

"It is the final judgment of the Wizigmont that the accused known as Mr. Harry James Potter, be heretofore stripped of any tittles he inherits or has inherited, his wand broken, all valuables confiscated and given to the next of kin or approximation thereof, he be expelled from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, then finally be sentenced to death by the use of the veil due to reasoning that he is to dangerous and powerful for any other means."

The officiator sat down in his seat as the crowded court room remained deathly silent for a moment, then broke out into solemn murmurs of appreciation for the sentence that had just been meted out to the small fifteen year old boy, soon to be sixteen year old teen ager that sat with glazed and dead green eyes.

The one known as Harry Potter didn't even blink as he was hauled to his feet. He didn't say a word as his wand was snapped in front of his face.

He didn't turn his head when the few individuals who had still believed in him cried out against the injustice of it as he was dragged from the courtroom and marched to the department of mysteries by at least 10 able bodied aurors who kept him bound in chains and their wands pointed on him at all times.

He walked like a zombie as uncaring hands guided him on his shoulder, hands that were slick with nervous sweat at the idea of touching a person as apparently dangerous as him.

He didn't care as he was stood in front of the veil, unchained with a hasty spell and directed with trembling voice by the executioners to step through.

None dared to try to use a spell on him to enforce the sentence. Not that it would have worked. At last, not since the one that had been their savior killed He who-must-not-be-named and in the process became more powerful then said scourge of the Wizarding World.

They all feared the teen. Feared what he would become, what he was already. So, for the greater good, he was being sentenced to death. They justified that at least it was more merciful then Azkaban or the Kiss, though in reality they didn't dare use such a sentence incase the Dementors became tempted to follow the demands of another dark lord.

Harry might have cared once, but he had lost too much, experienced to much to care what they were doing, or what they thought of him no matter how a slim few denied vehemently that he wasn't a monster, that he shouldn't have to be punished for something that the Wizarding world wanted in the first place.

Harry's eyes flickered for a moment, a little of his old self, peering through the shuttered viridian orbs. Something of his own self acknowledged that he was a breath away from his own demise.

The filmy, otherworldly curtains of the veil drifted up and around him, teasing his cheeks, lapping at his ankles like the ghosts of ripped cloth. He could hear a compelling whispering, louder now at the brink of the end, then it had been the first time he had encountered the veil. The same veil that had taken his godfather after he was blasted with the killing curse by Bellatrix.

For the briefest of moments, fate allowed the damaged teen a fragile moment of contentment and accepting peace, as he stood in front of his own mortality.

Despite the fact that the Headmaster had been the most adamant in his sentence, the old mans words, despite his betrayal, strayed through his thoughts.

'…_Death is merely the next great adventure…' _

Not that Harry was seeking adventure. No, he had quite enough already with that. He remembered seeing the shadows of his parents first through the mirror of Erised, and then later in his fourth year when he battled Voldiemort after his resurrection in the graveyard when their wands connected.

The idea that he would be with them, with Sirius now too, didn't so much give him courage, as he was beyond the ability, to broken for such thoughts, but it gave him a sense of peace, one of those rare moments in his life. All it had taken was breaking his soul and his own impending death to achieve.

Good things come to those who wait he supposed.

The Witnesses who carried out the sentence would later recount how the teen approached the veil, how he stood there with out seeming emotion at first but then closed his eyes, falling forward with the most odd expression on his face as he disappeared into the embrace of his own demise. It would be a long while before a few would think upon it in the years to come that it was contentment.

Ooo ooo ooo


	2. Meeting

Summery: A broken soul ends his existence only to end up in another world entirely, in the care of those who need him, and the key player to the fate of three races.

Rated: M, just in case.

Disclaimer: neither Harry Potter nor Earth Final conflict is mine, and are the sole property of their creators.

Authors Note: Happy holidays! I am glad to see some support for this fic, this is for those few diligent readers of this fic.

Key to Destiny

Chapter 2: Meeting.

Da'an had to admit, the new Companion public relations adviser that Zo'or had acquired, or spin doctor as Liam had so quaintly put it, certainly seemed to know what he was dong.

Already, the Companions for China and Russia had received positive feed back from the humans in their countries for taking up the public relations project.

Da'an was quite surprised, and pleased that Zo'or had approved of it, despite his reasons behind it being less then altruistic.

Da'an smiled as a group of children shrieked past, a ball being tossed between them.

"We are glad that you decided to choose from our facility today Da'an. We are sure that with your support, we will see an increase in the number of adoptions." The dean of Brightside Orphanage, Madeline Shirk spoke as she lead Da'an and his Protector, Major Liam Kincaid through the facilities.

"I am gratified to be of any assistance Ms. Shirk," the talon said amicably.

Out of the corner of his eye, Da'an noted Liam's watchful posture, but the hint of sympathy in his eyes.

The Major was an orphan as well after all. Loosing one parent before he was born and then having his own mother die in his arms, his other father unaware as well and the two always at odds as well Da'an made a mental note to try to engage the man in a conversation about it. Despite their differences of late, he did not like seeing his protector in these moments of loss.

Lately the two had been drifting further apart. It was the way of things for the young to drift from their mentors. Still, he worried about Liam, and the man's struggles to understand himself, and the barriers that stood between him and that need to belong caused by his heritage and his secrets.

He made a mental note to have a talk with Liam later today maybe, and to make more time for the major.

Liam met his eyes briefly, the look saying plainly that he appreciated the concern, but that he was all right.

Da'an sighed internally and returned his attention to the task at hand, after all, what he was about to do, was going to be yet another responsibility about to fall upon his shoulders.

As they continued to tour the facilities, passing child after child of many ages, and types, he felt a flare of sadness.

For a species that could no longer have children, to be confronted with another that had so many without parents was rather unsettling. But then again, there was much about humanity that unsettled or was not understood by the Taylons and vice versa.

There were so many, even for the criteria that he had made for himself when his turn to take up the mantel of the venture in human relations came.

The venture was quite simple really.

Further entrench Taylons in the hearts and minds of the humans by taking on the responsibility of there most innocent, their children. No one would ever believe that a species willing to become the parent of one of their children would have darker intensions towards the child's people. At, lest, that was the reasoning behind Zo'ors plan.

Zo'or, while not happy with the idea of Taylons becoming parents to an inferior species offspring, saw the benefits of what such a move would give the Taylons in furthering his own plans that required the humans cooperation.

After all, there were implants or Volunteers that could act as nannies in their care, and they would not necessarily be required to be present in the child's life beyond necessary public relations.

Da'an was also in the position of having his choice be the figurehead for the Star Child program as the humans have dubbed which wasn't surprising since Da'an had a number of ventures that involved the human's children.

Da'an finally managed to dismiss the dean so that he could contemplate his choice in peace. Liam seemed to understand his need for private contemplation and fell back a ways to give him what he needed without crowding him, but still close by incase of trouble.

The Taylon wandered, watching the children play.

Yes, a lot of choices indeed.

He was just about to head into the inner building when a slight movement in the concealing leaves of an oak tree beside him caught his attention.

He looked up and met two of the brightest green eyes he had ever seen.

They were a tone that he had never seen on a human before, and briefly wondered if they were natural.

The boy himself was rather skinny and small, looking no more then 8 years old with a fey like litheness and an almost fragile mien. He was also quite beautiful with wild black hair so dark it held a sheen of blue, and skin as pale as snow and looked unblemished but for a lightening bolt shaped scar above his right eye.

The boy held a large faded tan leather bound book that said the works of William Shakspere, and looked far to heavy for one so small.

Unlike the other children that seemed excited or weary in his presence, the boy did no more then blink calmly, looking curious.

"Greetings young one," Da'an greeted.

The boy cocked his head again, biting his lip and looking thoughtful, then shyly raised his hand and waved in hello.

"That is quite a impressive choice of reading or one so young." He said, trying to draw the child out more.

The child nodded his thanks.

For the next ten minutes or so, he engaged in a one sided banter with the child, receiving only nods or shakes of the head for answers. Eventually he had to leave the child to talk with Ms. Shirk and left the child to his reading.

When Da'an and the dean where seated in her office, they discussed the possible candidates, and other legal matters that were required for adoption, and what the candidate might expect.

Fortunately the women was quite competent in her field and had already been in contact with the heads of the other orphanages that had already handled the adoptions taken so far.

As they discussed the possibilities, Da'an found himself suddenly asking.

"Tell me Ms. Shirk, what can you tell me about the child with the unusual green eyes and dark hair?"

The women looked surprised.

"You must have met our centre's mystery child," her look turned somewhat sad, "he arrived a little over a month ago. He was found wandering in the fringes and brought to us when a police officer noticed him sleeping outside. He has no records and doesn't match any of the DNA files that his dna was run against, and we did a world wide search as well. It's as if he appeared out of no where."

She reached into her desk and pulled out a file.

"He hasn't said a word to anyone since he was found, and nobody stepped forward to claim him despite our efforts. We had a check up done on him, the full works. He is as healthy as can be expected, given what we theorized his circumstances that he must have come from. He shows signs of weakened skeletal structure and stunted growth from a background of extensive and long-term malnutrition and starvation. As such, it makes him look younger then he is, which is about 11 from what we can tell. He also seems to be weary and avoids being around either adults or other children, but will listen to an adult when told to do something. On the plus side, he is extremely intelligent, though his inability to talk as well as interact with others makes it difficult for him to do group activates and the like in classes."

Da'an weighed the information. The child was damaged and suffering from a sort of trauma that had stolen his ability to speak. Though from what he could tell, the child did interact, though on a limited level.

He described his experience with the nameless child. The Dean looked surprised, then pleased.

"That is very encouraging. He barely responds at all to his teachers and the on staff councilor. It would seem that our John Doe likes you, and from your interest can I assume that you have made a choice?"

"It would seem so," Da'an answered, the slight surprise in his tone. The dean chuckled and said "well, I was a bit worried at first about the Star Child Program, about how aliens and humans could get along in a family setting, but after meeting you, and seeing that surprised look that I see a lot on any other parents faces when they realize they have made their choice, it reassures me that we are all not as different as I had wondered."

An hour later, Da'an returned to the tree where he had spotted the green-eyed boy.

The pre-teen was still sitting where he had left him, despite the fact that his fellows had gone into the cafeteria for lunch. He held a half a ham sandwich in his hand that some one must have brought him and was nibbling on it while gazing upward at the clear blue sky.

Liam eyed the child curiously. He had to admit, the child was intriguing. He knew that ghosts such as this kid still existed in the system, the occasional blip that would pop up that had no dna records or matches in the system, but he had never met one so young.

The child's inability to talk and his shyness would not be conductive to public relations if the kid were going to spend time in the spotlight, which he undoubtedly would face. Still, it was this evidence of compassion that drew Liam to protect Da'an, and continue to keep his promise to protect him despite the distance the two had gone through lately.

The child looked down at them. His head cocked curiously.

The child then stilled, as he seemed to read their expectant postures.

He closed the book, putting it in a back pack that was hanging on a branch beside him and with a suddenness and a grace that startled both adults, he leapt from the branch and landed in a easy crouch on the ground, looking unruffled by the fact that he had startled both.

It seemed the bone enhancement treatments that the centre had made sure he under, courtesy of Taylon core energy, had indeed worked.

Standing in front of them, he stood at about 4"6 or 7, not even to Da'an's chest.

He met Liams eyes. The protector felt a strange sensation as he met those eyes, like he was looking at something more, the boys regard was almost like a weight, something that almost seemed older then it should be.

Da'an was right about the eyes to. They were an unusual green, and almost seemed to glow.

The child blinked, and suddenly Liam was released from the odd experience. From that point on he knew in that instant that this boy was something special, something that would play a role in things to come.

"I think that he should have a new name," Liam stated suddenly, "for some reason I don't think that John Doe really suits him".

Da'an cocked his head thoughtfully. Liam was right. They couldn't just call him child, and according to Ms. Shirk, he didn't seem to favor John Doe, as he had been called.

His gaze strayed to the heavy book bag. He had read a fair amount of Humanities great literary works to better understand their mentalities, and a name came to mind.

He gazed at the boy and said kindly, "If you so wish it, I could give you a name."

The boy shifted his stance nervously, and then nodded hesitantly.

Da'an smiled gently at the child. He knew that the child seemed to understand that Da'an would not be leaving the facility alone, his observing capabilities would do him well, and reassured the Taylon somewhat in his choice. "Then I shall call you Puck Goodfellow, for the character from a Midsummer's Night Dream".

The boy, Puck, blinked at the title, seeming to roll the name in his mind for a moment, then gave the both of them a sweet beaming smile.

Ooo ooo ooo

a/n: review and let me know what you think.


	3. Settling In

Summery: A broken soul ends his existence only to end up in another world entirely, in the care of those who need him, and the key player to the fate of three races.

Rated: M, just in case.

Disclaimer: neither Harry Potter nor Earth Final conflict is mine, and are the sole property of their creators.

Authors Note: another chap! Happy new years!

Key to Destiny

Chapter 3: Settling In.

The Star child Program was to be a final highlight as the 'spin doctor' as the humans put it arranged for the first on board the mother ship interview. Da'an, as the North American Companion, and the next in line of hierarchy in leadership to Zo'or, was to bring Puck with him to add a more family friendly appearance, and highlight the benevolence they were trying to portray.

Da'an would only have a week to prepare his newly acquired charge.

The Taylon had made arrangements and had the embassy grow his new charge quarters there. It was one of the conditions of the Star Child program, to show the authentic motivation behind the venture.

Puck looked up at the organic spiraling arches of the embassy that seemed to grow around the more rigid buildings of Washington like some cross between a plant and a bizarre animal.

Puck never thought that his life would ever lead to this.

Then again, he had never expected to be alive, but that was a given assumption considering he had been sentenced to death.

His new alien guardian was on the mother ship with Mr. Kincaid in a meeting with some taylon called Zo'or.

By his side, a friendly seeming lady with shoulder length wavy brown hair and a nice but casually fit suit with a side arm under her tan brown suit jacket gave him a sympathetic smile.

It had not been so much her kindness that had got him to go with her when Mr. Kincaid had been unable to pick him up from the orphanage, it was the name.

Lily.

His mother's name. She had even looked a lot like his mother from the pictures he once had, but for the difference in hair and the eyes.

The same reassuring smile that had looked out from those pictures, the mirror of Erised, and the shadow that had come from…

He flinched, quickly burying the memory of…him.

At the slight whimper that escaped from his throat, Lily Marquette acted on her instincts and reached out to the distressed boy.

Puck flinched at first, but accepted the touch.

This women bore a connection to the one he had to be close to at all costs.

The voice said that the one he was to be near would not harm him. The voice that had given him this second chance, the voice that had taken away his teenaged years and left him at the age he was when his life, if you could call that, ended and a knew one began the day a giant of a man held out a letter that told him he was a wizard.

But that was in another dimension, another Earth that no longer needed him.

He was so tired, he hurt so much, all he had wanted when he stepped through the viel was to rest so badly. The voice though, had come to him, in a place he couldn't quite remembered, but only knew as the time between time, a place that the voice dwelled and had said that Puck, then Harry Potter, was not yet ready to pass on, that he was needed in a world. That he had a mission.

The first and last coherent utterance that he would ever utter since he awoke on this Earth that was not his own, the only one of his kind, was to scream his despair in the empty alley in the place called the fringes in the seedier and forgotten derilect areas of Washington, DC in America.

He had thought, this past month since his arrival and stay at the orphanage that perhaps the voice had decided to ignore him or was being merciful. That fate would leave him in peace for once.

But then that taylon had looked up into his tree, into his eyes, and he knew with a certain resignation, that this was the one he was supposed to meet and that fate would never finish making him her personal play thing.

Ms. Marquette, slid an arm around his shoulder and lead him inside.

"I know that this must all be overwhelming for you. I was intimidated to when I first stood in front of this place." She revealed easily.

Puck let the women guide him inside.

He was lead through winding hallways that looked just as organic, though with more hints of purple and red then the blue that was more predominate on the outside of the structure.

Eventually he was lead ever steadily higher until a section of the wall dissolved to reveal an almost human looking room, though the furniture looked more like it had grown from the walls and floor. A single, almost cradle like bed with soft blankets and pillows, a desk, recesses in the wall for books and another opening that revealed a more human bathroom.

"I got to head to the mother ship to make a pick up, but…" he was turned and she grasped his thin shoulders, tipping his chin upward with a finger and giving him a searching look, a look from soft forget-me-not blue eyes, he thought sadly. Not the green eyes of his mother. No, another thing he had yet to see on another face.

"If you ever need help or need company, just give me or Liam a call alright?"

He nodded, moving his eyes from that face that did not belong to his mother. Oh how it hurt!

"Do you have your global that Da'an had issued for you?"

Puck nodded, holding up the strange device that seemed to be a staple for the people of this Earth, the way that cell phones where for muggles and owls were for wizards on his old dimension. He was fortunate that some of the other older orphans had one and a few of them had taught the silent boy the ins and outs of how to use one.

"Now, I took the liberty to put in mine and Liam's private global frequency. You can reach any of us any time you want alright?"

Puck nodded, still avoiding her face.

She gave him another searching look before finally leaving, the entrance dissolving and reforming seamlessly in her wake.

Puck sat on his new bed and felt the tears fall.

Ooo ooo ooo

When Da'an returned to the embassy and Liam had also left for the night after giving one last check to security, Da'an walked towards a section of seemingly blank wall hidden from view in the shadows under the platform behind his chair. With a wave of his hand the wall dissolved to reveal a modest bedchamber, and curled up on the bed was his new ward and st on the edge of the bed, regarding the young human.

He wished that he could have been there for the child's arrival, but the last preparative meeting with the Synod before the reporter, Abby Franklin, was scheduled to appear on the mother ship for her interview required his presence.

As Da'an knew he would, Zo'or had insisted during the meeting that Da'an bring Puck to the ship, thinking that it would be the most opportune time to meet and unveil the figurehead for the Star Child Program and had, of course, completely ignored Da'an's request to give the boy more time to adjust be fore he was thrown to the mercy of the media.

He was broken out of his thoughts by the boys unhappy whimper as he shifted restlessly in his sleep, still clothed and hugging his backpack like a lifeline.

Da'an was further startled when the child rolled over and curled up against him, instantly relaxing at his presence and physical contact.

His worries seemed to melt at the feel of the slight weight and warmth of the boy.

He found himself reaching out and drawing the boy closer, carding his fingers through his hair soothingly.

He sat that way for a while, and then carefully tucked the boy under the covers, and left the boy to his slumber. He would need the rest.

Ooo ooo ooo

a/n: review and let me know what you think.


	4. Hijacked

Summery: A broken soul ends his existence only to end up in another world entirely, in the care of those who need him, and the key player to the fate of three races.

Rated: M, just in case.

Disclaimer: neither Harry Potter nor Earth Final conflict is mine, and are the sole property of their creators.

Authors Note: another chap! A bit more excitement, it is joining events in the canon of the episode Hijacked form EFC, and larger portions with obvious differences where taken from the episode. Happy New Years!

Key to Destiny

Chapter 4: Hijacked.

7 days later…

Abby Franklin, world-renowned reporter that had only recently started to see the end of her career as a reputable reporter beginning to seed, only to have gotten the Pulitzer (again) global call of her dreams.

She had grabbed her most advanced, steady, and durable camcorder she had on hand, and nothing else as she made her way to the lush green grass field that sat behind the Washington embassy after taking a quick portal from New York and grabbing a quick, but calorie rich breakfast. She would need the calories as she planned to not stop for something as paltry as a meal while she was making history as the first reporter allowed on the mother ship, let alone an interview with the leader of the Synod and the North American Companion on their home turf as it were.

She had read the extensive dossier and instructions left by Mr. Wagner, the Taylon's spin-doctor.

She was given relative carte blanche with her interview, which was yet another bonus for such a high profile case.

She also not only would be introduced to the taylons, and their protectors, but also the North American Star Child, the figure head, that had only rumored to have been adopted by the taylon legally a week ago. He was the latest, and freshest face, and no one had yet to see it. There was much curiosity about the child, and she had to admit, she was curious as well. She wasn't a fool after all, she knew that the Star Child program was most likely a public relations ruse, and she knew her viewers would be curious to see if the boy was only that. The watching audience that was for sure would scrutinize his interaction with the taylons and his surroundings.

She was pulled out of her musings when Captain Lily Marquette, a brisk, and some what gruff tempered women, though with a wry sense of humor and not unkind, meant her at the taylon shuttle, and said with an amicable smile,

"well, shall we be off?"

The ride was short, but accelerating, and ID space was stunning. Their approach to the mother ship was equally a glorious site, and Abby made sure not to miss any inch of it with her trusty camcorder.

When the shuttle had safely docked with its fellows in the belly of the mother ship docking bay, Abby followed the captain off the ship, not bothering to hide her impressed wonder at the alien tech and the sheer size of the place!

Her attention was drawn from her surroundings by a surprisingly short, but fit Asian man with dark eyes, tanned skin, and a slicked back dark chocolate hair cut short with a hint of wave. He wasn't unattractive, but there was something dangerous, watchful, and conniving in his eye, and the way he held himself that sparked the reporters instincts.

"Ms. Franklin," Agent Sandoval greeted briskly.

"Please, Abby," she replied with an easy smile stepping down the docking steps and taking his hand in a relaxed but firm handshake.

"Ronald Sandoval, welcome to the mother ship," he said in the same tone, no real infliction other then keen attention in his demeanor.

"Well, I have never been in space before," Abby said, and then turned to the Captain and said easily, "a thanks for the ride."

"My pleasure," Lilly replied easily with a hint of humor, which increased at her bosses brisk "follow me." rolling her eyes when the mans back was turned as the two females followed the man a little ways back.

Abby got right to business.

"So when do I get my sit down with Da'an and Z'or? I am also curious to meet the North American Star child as well."

Sandoval turned and was in the middle of his lecture on why her camcorder would not be allowed until Lily reminded him, quite gleefully, though still respectively, about her full access.

Deciding on a little revenge for trying to take her camera, she pinned the protector with a look, and her camcorders active eye.

"Okay agent Sandoval, your responsible for taylon security here on Earth, I am wondering if your concerned about this so called resistance movement?"

The Agent did not look pleased to be the centre of attention, but replied, "I think we are all wondering what exactly these people think that they are resisting."

'Smooth' Abby mused mentally, 'a great sound bite, and extremely smooth indeed for a guy with a reputation for disliking reporters.'

"Tell me what your thoughts are on the upcoming election?"

Looking frustrated, the agent said coolly, pushing down her camera " I am also interested Ms. Franklin, is this a casual conversation or will my answers be considered an official part of your interview?" with that cool rejoinder, he marched off, leaving the two women to catch up.

The Captain shrugged her shoulders, and the two hurriedly followed.

Ooo ooo ooo

Meanwhile…

The form of Liam Kincaid moved smoothly through the motions, reading the console, and eyeing the global in front of him intently, while at the same time keeping an eye out for possible witnesses.

His hand flew over the energy based display screen one more time, then with a wave, cleared the console, gave another furtive look around, and left the empty room.

Ooo ooo ooo

Abby looked around the bridge of the mother ship, taking in every curve and angle, noting the people and taylons that went about their duties with single minded intentness.

"It is a pleasure to welcome you as our guest Ms. Franklin," the familiar voice of her countries companion caught her attention, Da'an.

She smiled a greeting at Z'or, the leader of the Synod, taller and lighter in color in his dress next to the other taylon also offered his greetings.

" Thank you, I am honored to be the first journalist invited onboard the mother ship," She replied easily.

Her smile became broader when she spied a tousled head of wild dark hair peeking out from behind Da'an.

Abby would later pride herself from not overtly reacting when she meant the pair of the most beautiful and uniquely green eyes that she had ever seen.

The boy was quite simply stunning!

Pale, fey like features that were accented by the casual, though high quality dark cloths.

The boy eyed her with obvious weariness and sidled closer to his taylon guardian, if that was possible, since he was already practically plasterd to the taylons side.

"This is my ward, Puck Goodfellow," Da'an introduced, subtly positioning the boy a little further out in the open.

"Hello Puck, that's a nice name, and it certainly suites you. Do you like William Shakespeare? MidSummer's Night Dream was my favorite."

The boy eyed her for a moment, then the camera. He bit his lip nervously, but finally nodded.

Puck was in the middle of trying to re-situate himself further behind Da'an, when Mr. Wagner finally joined the group.

"Well! This looks to be a win, win situation," he said pleasantly, slapping his hands together, looking vastly pleased.

Lily and Sandoval exchanged mutual exasperated looks, both their opinions in silent accord about what they thought of the man, one of those few times the two saw eye to eye on things.

Puck's regard swung to the spin-doctor. He frowned at the man. The boy's dislike of Mr. Wagner had made it's self known as soon as the two were introduced at the Embassy before they had departed for the mother ship.

Only Da'an noticed the shiver from the small body that pressed close to him.

" I love it when a plan comes together," he stated smugly.

Only seconds after that statement, nearly everyone standing was thrown off their feet as the ship shuttered all around them.

Z'or managed to grip the handles of his command chair, thus remaining somewhat stationary, Lily fell to the ground, and was quickly returned to her feet by Sandoval, as the two used each other to brace for balance, then pushing off each other to cling to consoles, trying to get a handle on the crisis in the read outs before them.

Puck was torn from his guardian's grasp in the chaos, and the boy slid into a hard protrusion.

He winced when he felt a searing pain in his side, he clung to the buttress as the shaking ship moved at alarming speed, the Earth receding further and further from his sight.

"Status report!" shouted Z'or.

"Communications offline!" Sandoval reported, fingers flying over the controls.

Liam Kincaid arrived on the bridge in a lurching run.

"What the hell is going on? Systems are down all over the ship!"

He steadied Da'an, who was trying to move to his feet.

Liam saw a flash of green out of the corner of his eyes, spying the curled up form of Puck. He carefully moved to the boy's side and with a few hasty muttered questions, lifted the boy into his arms easily, the child clinging to him like a limpet.

"We're entering interdimensional space!" exclaimed Lily.

"Is that not where we are supposed to be?" questioned Abby nervously.

"Ms. Franklin, if you don't mind!" growled Sandoval, giving the reporter a sit-down-shut-up look.

The careening star field before them suddenly gave way to the familiar chaotic rippling light of interdimensional space.

Liam shifted Puck in his grasp, handling his global one handed.

" All instruments confirm we are at maximum velocity," Liam proclaimed.

Abby went unnoticed as she raised her camcorder, filming the unexpected twist that had become what had once been a exciting, though predictable interview dialogue. She felt a twinge of excitement like she hadn't felt since her fieldwork in the SI wars.

"How can this be?" Da'an asked.

"The ships navigational commands have been reprogrammed, we are locked out!" the Captain answered, her hands flying over the console.

"That is impossible!" stated Z'or, "I am the only one with the proper access codes to initiate such an override!"

"Not any more," the captain said fiercely, "some one has gained access, new co-ordinates have been downloaded into the core."

"Maybe we have been hijacked?" the reporter offered her two cents from what she gleaned from the evidence so far.

The taylons exchanged alarmed looks.

After a few minutes of silence as everyone digested this, and the shaking of the ship had leveled off and was smoothly traversing it's unintended path, Da'an said finally.

"We must stop this ship."

"Your insight into the obvious is appreciated Da'an," Z'or said sarcastically.

"You misunderstand, we must stop this ship, by any means necessary," he stated grimly, his hands dancing in agitation, "even if it means ejecting the ID engine core."

"That would strand us in ID space!" Z'or exclaimed.

"Better that then have out interdimensional technology fall into the hands of our enemies."

"This is premature, we don't even know who has compromised out computer system," no one noticed that Puck was watching a certain individual unblinkingly through narrow eyes.

Da'an shook his head, stating "it is surely not the work of our allies," then with more urgency he said, "we must act quickly Z'or, and decisively! We have now been in ID space long enough to enter contested territory, we must stop the ship! Do you concur?"

Z'or gripped the armrests of his seat, finally grinding out.

"I am considering your suggestion…"

"There is no time!" Da'an turned to Sandoval, " prepare to jettison the ID engine core."

"Z'or…" the agent began.

"Please agent Sandoval," Da'an cut off sternly, "this is beyond your field of expertise, I am a member of the Synod, your CVI imperative compels you to obey me."

"As a member of the synod, Da'an has the authority," Z'or concurred reluctantly.

Sandoval swallowed and took his position at the necessary console.

"On your command," the agent told the two taylons.

Da'an nodded, laying his hand on a small green control panel and said,

"Prepare for ejection"

There was a light hum filling the air in backdrop to the generic computer voice counting down the seconds.

Those that had lungs to breath, held their breath.

Puck buried his face into the major's neck, his arms nearly strangling the man.

"5…"

Z'or tensed in his chair.

"4…"

Lilly gripped her console, Sandoval swallowed again.

"3…"

Da'an and Liam closed their eyes.

"2…"

Abby's hands tightened on her camcorder, never straying from the action.

"1."

Ooo ooo ooo

a/n: let me know what you think.


End file.
